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Fagopyrum dibotrys - (D.Don.)Hara.

Perennial Buckwheat

Author	(D.Don.)Hara.	Botanical references	51, 266
Family	Polygonaceae	Genus	Fagopyrum
Synonyms	Fagopyrum cymosum - (Trevir.)Meissn. Fagopyrum emarginatum - Roxb. Polygonum chinense - Misapplied Polygonum dibotrys - D.Don.
Known Hazards	None known
Range	E. Asia - China, Japan, Himalayas.
Habitat	Forests and cultivated areas from Pakistan to S.W. China, 1500 - 3400 metres[51]. Found alongside ditches on shady damp and fertile soils in China[147].
Edibility Rating	4 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1m by 2m at a fast rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves; Seed.

Edible Uses: Rutin.

Leaves - raw or cooked[105, 160, 272]. Boiled or steamed and used like spinach[183]. Of excellent quality according to one report[2], but we have been less than impressed by the flavour, which has a distinct bitterness especially when eaten raw[K]. The leaves are rich in rutin (see below for details of its uses) and so they do make a healthy addition to the diet[K]. Seed - it can be sprouted and eaten raw, or cooked and used as a cereal[4]. Dried and ground into a powder, it can serve as a thickening agent in soups etc. The seed is rich in vitamin B6. Unfortunately, it is not freely produced in Britain[2].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Anodyne; Anthelmintic; Antiinflammatory; Antiphlogistic; Antispasmodic; Cancer; Carminative; Depurative; Febrifuge; Hypotensive.

The whole plant is anodyne, anthelmintic, antiphlogistic, carminative, depurative and febrifuge. It stimulates blood circulation[147]. A decoction is used in the treatment of traumatic injuries, lumbago, menstrual irregularities, purulent infections, snake and insect bites[147]. A decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of insect bites, dysmenorrhoea, inflammation, lumbago, snakebite and traumatic injuries[218]. The leaves are rich in rutin which is a capillary tonic, antioedemic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and hypotensive[218]. Rutin also inhibits carcinogenesis and protects against radiation[218].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

A very tolerant and easily grown plant, it prefers dry sandy soils but succeeds in most conditions including poor, heavy or acid soils and even sub-soils. Prefers a good soil in partial shade[187], growing very well in woodland conditions[K]. The dormant plant is hardy to about -20°c[187], though the growing plant is frost tender[K]. It is often excited into growth quite early in the year if the weather is mild, and will then be cut back by the first frost. It usually regrows quickly from the base[K]. Perennial buckwheat is occasionally cultivated for its edible seed, though this is not produced as abundantly as in the annual members of this genus[K]. Our plants flower in late summer and early autumn, and have not as yet produced any seed. Since all our plants come originally from one seedling, it is quite possible that the plant is self-sterile[K]. There is at least one named variety, selected for its ornamental value. 'Variegata' has variegated leaves[200].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Division is very easy at almost any time in the growing season, though it is best avoided in early spring because the young growth can be damaged by late frosts. The divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.

Cultivars

No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: The Urban Garden , Why Perennials, Woodland Garden Plants, The Woodland Edge Garden.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[51] Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984
A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press 0 ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[160] Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987. 0
Fascinating reading, this is an annual publication. Some reports do seem somewhat exaggerated though.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

[272] Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002 ISBN 0-88192-527-6
Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Fagopyrum dibotrys

zheng-zhong bai Fri May 21 10:34:18 2004

I am a Ph.D. student of ShenYang Pharmaceutical University .Now I am studying the Fagopyrum Cymosum(buckwheat) extract and its pharmacy as my Ph.D. paper. I found the information about Perennial buckwheat in your web page. I need more information of Perennial buckwheat ,and I could cooperat with the people who interest the Perennial buckwheat . I can collect the Fagopyrum Cymosum(buckwheat) herb for you,and do some basal study . I work at China Heilongjiang provencial Institude of Drug Control. My name is Zhengzhong Bai,you can contect with me. 2004.5.21 ??? ??????????????? ?????? 2004.5.21 Mail Code: 150001 Fax:0451-53644463 Tel:0451-53638792-8206(office)

Fagopyrum dibotrys

Dr. Shalabh Wed Jan 5 09:50:14 2005

dear i have been working on the tissue culture of fago. along with my two coworkers shashank and amit for the last one year. we have succeded in getting callus and plantlets i haope that you will be in contact with us for exchange of information thanking you Dr. Shalabh Ghaziabad India

Fagopyrum dibotrys

Nelia.Nicolay@web.de Thu Feb 2 2006

I'm very enjoyed about your page. Bit it seems to be very difficult to get some seed. Have you an idea where I can get it Sincerly yours Cornelia Nicolay-Danisch, Germany

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